Cooler



@v. M, 1939. A. HOCK ET AL COOLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 20, 1956 F r an m w W i m 1 as mm w M M Wm M R A ATTORNEz'S' A. HOCK ET AL COOLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a1 F m a w fl z 4 I H Y M j/ A m m v P wuuwlW W. ME 0 ll .0 L HR W m 0 NU 9 MU A a w M 5 v 1% .1 M 1 7 Q KWWIWIP/LE m m z a 8 5 7 l 7 4 i n/ w V w d ow Q W I U a w .2 a a Patented Nov. 14, 1939 STATES PATENT COOLER Application March 20,

12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in coolers, and particularly to improvements in a beer or wort cooler.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is the provision of a beer or wort cooler which will expeditiously reduce the temperature of beer or wort to the desired stage.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a cooler which is relatively inexpensive to produce but very efficient in operation.

A further object of the inventionis the provision of a cooler of the class described that may be readily dismantled or taken apart for cleaning purposes, and which may be readily assembled for further use without the expenditure of a great amount of time in the operation.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a cooler for the purpose specified which can be readily mounted in banks or series, utilizing the simplest of connections between the different independent coolers, and which coolers can be readily dismantled to effect the cleaning thereof, and without breaking the pipe connections between the different coolers and between the individual coolers and cooling medium supply and the beer or wort supply and delivery systems.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by refer ence to the following specification considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, and it is to be understood that any modifications may be made in the exact structural details there shown and described, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a cooler embodying the improvements of this invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the cooler as seen in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an. enlarged vertical sectional view of one end of the cooler as seen in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the other end of the cooler of Fig. 1 and taken on the same plane as that of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the heads at one end of the cooler on the line 55 on Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken through the cooler adjacent the heads at the other end of the cooler on the line 6--i on Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of two coolers mounted one above the other in a suitable rack;

1936, Serial No. 69,920

Fig. 8 is an end elevational View of Fig. 7; and

Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively vertical sectional views similar to Figs. 3 and 4 but illustrating a modification in the construction of the cooler and the method of mounting the cylinders relative to 5' one another.

Throughout the several views of the drawings similar reference characters are employed to denote the same or similar parts.

In fluid coolers, particularly those coolers in 10 which the fluid is used after being cooled, such as beer and wort coolers, it is not only desirable but necessary that the same be cleaned at diiierent intervals so as to insure the fluid which is cooled being of the same quality and in nowise 15 contaminated by residue left in the cooler by the passage of previous liquid therethrough. Considerable difiiculty has been experienced with coolers as heretofore employed, in the cleaning thereof as well as in the dismantling of said 0001- 2Q ers for purposes of cleaning. In the past these coolers, as exemplified by that illustrated in the Deckebach Patent No. 527,197, which has been considered as one of the best coolers for the purpose of cooling wort and beer previously on the 25 market, required the breaking of complicated pipe joints and fixtures to permit the exposure of the interior of the cooler. At the same time coolers of this type required a great amount of time and energy to clean the turns of the pipe coiled 30 therein. v

By the structure of the present invention all of the above indicated diiiculties have been obviated and a cooler is provided which can be readily dismantled and cleaned, and at the same 35 time the cooler of the present invention is of greater efficiency since the film of liquid exposed to the action of the cooling medium is very thin instead-of being quite heavy as it is in the coolers of the type disclosed in the above-noted 40 Deckebach patent.

Specifically, and as illustrated in the drawings, the cooler of this invention comprises a relatively long body portion l5 closed at opposite ends by heads l6 and El. The body portion iii of the 45 cooler is formed of a plurality of concentrically disposed cylinders or tubes l3, l9, and Zll. The outermost tube l8 has at its opposite ends flaring or radial flanges 2! and 22 and is provided respectively adjacent said flanges with a pipe 50 connection 23 and 24. The pipe connections 23 and 2- 1, see Fig. l, are adapted to have connected therewith ends of pipes 25 and 26 forming the intake and outlet for a cooling medium such as ammonia or brine, or any other cooling medium.

The outer cylinder or tube 18 is spaced from the intermediate cylinder or tube l9 to provide a relatively shallow chamber 2! which communicates with the intake and exhaust pipes 25 and 26 and which forms the cooling plate or field through which the fluid to be cooled moves. This intermediate cylinder or tube 59 like the outer cylinder or tube I8 is provided at its ends with outwardly flaring radial flanges 28 and 29 which contact with the radial flanges of the outer tube or cylinder i8. From this it will be seen that the ends of the cooling medium chamber 27 are 1 closed or sealed by the abutting flanges 2i and 28, and 22 and 29, clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The innermost tube or cylinder 23 is spaced from the intermediate tube or cylinder 19 a distance substantially equal to the spacing of the said intermediate tube or cylinder from the outer tube or cylinder to provide a chamber 33 substantially equal to the chamber 21, and it is through this chamber 30 that the fluid to be cooled passes. The one end of the innermost cylinder or tube 20 is brazed or otherwise secured to a reduced portion or flange 3! of an inner floating head 32. The head 32 has integral with the flange 3| a crowned end 33 which terminates at a point 34. The crowned end 33 of the head 32 has projecting from it, see Fig. 6, a plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs 35 providing, between adjacent lugs, passages 36. The outer circumference of the lugs 35 is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the intermediate tube or cylinder l9 whereby said inner cylinder 23 is positioned relative to the intermediate cylinder. The other end of the innermost cylinder or tube 20 is brazed or otherwise secured to a flange 3'! of a second inner head 38. The head 38, similar to the head 32, has a crowned head 39 which has integral therewith a point 40 disposed substantially at the axis of the cooler. Projecting from the crowned end 39 is an outwardly projecting radial flange 4| having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the flaring radial flanges 22 and 29 of the cylinders or tubes i8 and I9. Between the head 38 and its radial flange 4! there is provided, see Fig. 5, a plurality of apertures or openings 42 separated from one another by fins 43. The apertures 42 are similar to the spaces 36 of the head 32, while the fins 43 are similar to the lugs 35 and the said apertures 42 and 36 are utilized to afford ingress to and egress from the chamber 30.

As was mentioned above the cooler is closed at its opposite ends by heads l6 and H, the former of which is illustrated in detail in Figs. 3 and 6, while the latter is likewise illustrated in detail in Figs. 4 and 5. As shown the head i 6 comprises a cast member having a crowned body portion 44 of a curvature substantially, equal tothe curvature of the head end 33 and spaced therefrom to provide a chamber 45 on the outside of the head 32. The body portion 44 terminates in a radial flange 46 while the center of said body portion 44 is enlarged to provide a boss 4'! for a pipe connection 48. It will be noted that theaperture through the boss 4! has its axis substantially coincidental with the point 34 of the inner head 32.

The head l1 similar to the head l6 comprises a body portion 43 which is crowned to the curvature of inner head plate 39 and spaced therefrom to provide chamber 50. The body portion 49 is provided at its perimeter with a radial flange 5| and at its center is provided with an enlarged boss 52 forming a connection for a pip? 53.- The aperture through the boss 52 has its center coincidental with the point 40 of the inner head 39.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is provided around the innermost tube or cylinder 20, and the heads 32 and 38 attached thereto, a plurality of chambers such as 58, 3B, and 45, which chambers are connected with one another through the passages 42 and 36 provided respectively at the ends of the heads 38 and 32. It is through these passages that the liquid, fluid, or the like, passes while it is being cooled, and this passage is divided by one or the other of the points 34 and 40 depending upon which is utilized as the intake.

The parts are connected to one another by mounting the outer heads flanges 36 and 5! respectively on the contacting flanges 2i and 28 of the outermost and intermediate tubes or cylinders l8 and I9 and on the flange M of the head 38 which is in turn mounted on the superimposed flanges 23 and 22 of said intermediate and out-- ermost cylinders I 8 and I9. The first group of flanges is backed by a clamping ring 54, while the second group of flanges is backed by a clamping ring 55, each of which groups and their respective clamping rings are secured to one another by bolts passing therethrough. As shown the clamping bolts are of the swinging type having the eyes 56 thereof pivotally mounted between ears 5'! integral with the clamping rings and having the bolt 56 swingable through suitable slots 59 formed in the flanges of the several parts.

In order that the cooling medium will flow throughout the chamber 21 and fill said chamber, the inlets and outlets 23 and 24 for said chambers are respectively provided with dividing bafileplates 38 and M which insure the medium flowing on each side thereof and thereby completely filling the chamber Zi' during its passage between the intake and the exhaust.

One of the heads l3 and ii is provided at its lowermost point with a drain plug 32 to eiiect a complete drainage of the fluid in the chambers 59, 30, and 45 before the cooler is taken apart for cleaning purposes or the like.

In the operation of the improved cooler of this invention the cooling medium and the fluid to be cooled thereby are caused to move in opposite directions; that is, if the medium to be cooled enters by way of pipe 53, then the cooling metion, then the medium flow will also be reversed. i

It should be noted at this time that the pipes 53 and 48 are in effect hose connections, or at least are provided with readily dismantleable connections 63 and 64 for connection with the hose utilized for introducing the beer, wort, or other fluid, to the cooler and carrying same therefrom. From this it will be seen that the connection to the fluid to be cooled may be readily broken and that by merely releasing the bolts 58 at one or both ends of the cooler the innermost cylinder or tube 23 may be withdrawn and the exterior there of cleaned, and thereby providing an unobstructed inner tube which can also be readily cleaned. In practice it has been found that it is only nee-- essary to remove the head I! without disturbing the head 16, and withdraw the cylinder 20 through the opening provided by the removal of the head l1, since the inner head 32 of the cylinder 28 is free and floating and ofiers no resistance to movement. From this it will be readily appreciated that the objects of this invention are readily accomplished. When in use the coolers as a whole are mounted between a pair of supporting legs or brackets such as 55 and (it. These brackets 65 and 6B are formed of suitable construction elements such as small channels or angle-iron and suitably braced to carry the load. It is frequently desirable and necessary that more than one cooling unit be mounted in a bank or banks and one such illustration is depicted in Fig. i. As there shown and as further shown in Fig. 8, the supporting legs or brackets lit: and (56 are merely extended to support a second cooling unit. With a unit as described above it is only necessary to turn same 180 to one another thereby placing the connections such as 23 or one above the other at one end of said units and with the other of said connections disposed on top of the upper unit and on the bottom of the lower unit. The connections immediately opposite one another are then readily connected by a simple pipe connection such as M. At the same time the center outlets of the cooling units are readily connected by a simple pipe connection 53. At this time the upper and lowermost cooling medium outlets are used either as the intake and the other as the outlet, depending upon the direction of flow of the fluid to be cooled through the units. By this construction, however, the simplicity of cleaning the several units is in nowise interfered with since the hose connections would be made at the same end of the units and the innermost cylinder withdrawn. from that end.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 it is unnecessary to even break or disconnect the hose connections 83 and M. In this set-up use is made of a pair of end castings 69 and H! which have each projecting toward the other a flange ll. Secured to these flanges are the opposite ends of the outermost tube or cylinder idol. In addition the end castings 69 and ill have interiorly thereof a web 12 and 13 which respectively have projecting therefrom a flange M. The flanges M are utilized as a means for securing the ends of the intermediate tube or cylinder led in position. This construction results in a chamber 15 being formed between the inner and outer walls of the tubes or cylinders ita and Mia and extending the full length of said tubes. In addition there is provided at the ends of the chamber l5 reservoirs l6 and H which are formed within the castings 69 and iii and closed at their ends by the webs l2 and '53. In addition, the castings 69 and it are each provided with a pipe opening 18 and i9 respectively, one of which acts as the intake and the other the outlet for the cooling medium circulated through the chambers or reservoirs l5 and il and the chamber 15.

Disposed within the tube or cylinder Ella is the innermost tube or cylinder 2011 which has its outer surface spaced from the inner surface of the intermediate tube to form a chamber 8B. One end of the cylinder 28a is secured to an inwardly projected flange 8i projecting from a head 87%. The head 82 is provided with a flange 33 which engages with a co-extensive flange 8d integral with the casting 69. Suitable bolts and nuts are utilized for securing the head flange and casting flange M to one another. Adjacent to the pipe opening it the casting 69 is provided with a second pipe opening 85 which communicates with a reservoir 86 within the.

casting 69 and on the other side of the web 12 from that on which the reservoir I6 is formed.

This reservoir 86 is closed by the head 82 and communicates with the chamber 80.

The inner end of the cylinder 20a is secured to and carried by a floating head 81 which is similar in all respects to the head 32 for floatingly positioning the innermost cylinder relative to the intermediate cylinder, and at the same time affording passage for flow through the chamber 89: On the other side of the floating head 8! the casting 10 is provided with a second chamber 38 which is similar to the chamber 8-5 and closed by a removable head 89. Communication is had to the reservoir 88 by means of a pipe opening 9i! formed in the casting 10 and adjacentto the pipe opening 19 thereof.

From the foregoing it is believed now evident that there has been provided a fluid cooler which is quite efllcient in operation and which is relatively inexpensive to produce. At the same time it will be noted that the cooler of this invention can be dismantled for cleaning purposes and again reassembled in a minimum of time since it is only necessary to release a small number of clamping bolts. It will also be appreciated that the surfaces to be cleaned are even surfaces which have no obstructions to interfere or collect dirt that must necessarily be chipped or otherwise scraped out.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cooler of the class described the combination of a first cylinder, a second cylinder surrounding the first cylinder to form a chamber therebetween and relative to which the first cylinder is telescoped, a head secured to one end of the first cylinder for closing same, means for removabiy securing the said head to the second cylinder whereby the first cylinder may be telescopically removed from the second cylinder with the head to expose the walls of the chamber, a

.head on the other end of said first cylinder for closing said end thereof and including means acting as a centralizing member for positioning the said second named end of the first cylinder relative to the second cylinder, means for forming a chamber around the second cylinder for supplying passage for a cooling medium for the chamber around the first cylinder, inlets and outlets for each chamber and said inlets and outlets for each chamber being located at the opposite ends thereof, and dividing means associated with the inlet and outlet of the cooling medium chamber for insuring the proper distribution of the cooling medium in said chamber.

2. In a cooler of the class described, the combination of a first cylinder having an unobstructed outer surface, a second cylinder having an unobstructed inner surface telescopically arranged around the first cylinder and forming a chamber between the unobstructed surfaces of said cylinders, a head permanently secured to one end of the first cylinder for closing said end thereof and removably secured to the adjacent end of the second cylinder, a second head secured to the other end of the second cylinder, said connection of the first head with the second cylinder being removable whereby the said head is utilized for telescoping the first cylinder relative to the second cylinder, and a head on the last named end of the first cylinder for closing the end thereof and including means for centralizing the said end thereof relative to the second cylinder and acting as a guide means during the movement of the cylinders relative to one another.

3. In a cooler of the class described, the combination of a first cylinder, a second cylinder telescopically arranged around the first cylinder and forming a chamber between the walls of said cylinders, a head permanently secured to one end of the first cylinder for closing said end thereof and removably secured to the adjacent'end of the second cylinder, a second head secured to the other end of the second cylinder, said connection of the first head with the second cylinder being removable whereby the said head is utilized for telescoping the first cylinder relative to the second cylinder, a head on the last named end of the first cylinder for closing the end thereof and including means for centralizing the said end thereof relative to the second cylinder and acting as a guide means during the movement of the cylinders relative to one another, and a third cylinder around the second cylinder and spaced therefrom to form a chamber, the chamber around the first cylinder constituting the chamber for the fluid to be cooled while the chamber around the second cylinder constitutes the cooling medium chamber and through which the cooling medium flows.

4. In a cooler of the class described, the combination of a first cylinder, a second cylinder telescopically arranged around the first cylinder and forming a chamber between the walls of said cylinders, a head permanently secured to one end of the first cylinder for closing said end thereof and removably secured to the adjacent end of the second cylinder, a second head secured to the other end of the second cylinder, said connection of the first head with the second cylinder being removable whereby the said head is utilized for telescoping the first cylinder relative to the second cylinder, a head on the last named end of the first cylinder for closing the end thereof and including means for centralizing the said end thereof relative to the second cylinder and acting as a guide means during the movement of the cylinders relative to one another, a third cylinder around the second cylinder and spaced therefrom to form a chamber, the chamber around the first cylinder constituting the chamber for the fluid to be cooled while the chamber around the second cylinder constitutes the cooling medium chamber and through which the cooling medium flows, and inlets and'outlets for each of said chambers located at opposite ends of said chambers.

5. In a cooler of the class described, the combination of a first cylinder, a second cylinder telescopically arranged around the first cylinder and forming a chamber between the walls of said cylinders, a head permanently secured to one end of the first cylinder for closing said end thereof and removably secured to the adjacent end of the second cylinder, a second head secured to the other end of the second cylinder, said connection of the first head with the second cylinder being removable whereby the said head is utilized for telescoping the first cylinder relative to the second cylinder, a head on the last named end of the first cylinder for closing the end thereof and including means for centralizing the said end thereof relative to the second cylinder and acting as a guide means during the movement of the cylindersrelative to one another, a third cylinder around the second cylinder and spaced therefrom to form a chamber, the chamber around the first cylinder constituting the chamber for the fluid to be cooled while the chamber around the second cylinder constitutes the cooling medium chamber and through which the cooling medium flows, inlets and outlets for each of said chambers located at opposite ends of said chamber and means associated with the inlet and outlet of the cooling medium chambers for dividing the flow therethrough to insure the proper circulation of the medium through its chamber.

6. In a cooler of the class described, the combination of a pair of end castings, each having secured to it one of the ends of each of a pair of spaced, co-axial cylinders which form between them a chamber, said end castings being interiorly enlarged between the points of attachment of the ends of the cylinders and thereby providing a reservoir at each end of the chamber, a port through each end casting into its reservoir and said ports together acting as an intake and exhaust for the chamber, a closure member for the outer terminus of each of the castings, a third cylinder carried by one of said closure members for closing the end of the cylinder and co-axial with the above mentioned cylinders and spaced therefrom to provide an inner chamber therearound, said end castings being enlarged at the ends of the said inner chamber to provide a reservoir therefor, a port through each of said end castings into said last named reservoirs and said ports together forming an intake and exhaust for said inner chamber, and means carried by the end of the said third cylinder remote from one closure member for closing same and for centralizing it relative to the cylinder carried by the end castings.

7. In a cooler of the class described, the combination of a pair of end castings, means carried between said castings and forming a plurality of concentric chambers, closure members for closing the ends of the castings, said end castings each having formed therein corresponding reservoirs located respectively at the opposite ends of the chambers, ports through said end castings communicating with the reservoirs and acting as intake and exhaust ports for the chambers, and said chamber forming means including in at least one instance a cylinder secured at one end only to one of the closure members and telescopically removable with said closure member to expose the walls of its chamber, and means at the other end of said cylinder free of the other closure member for centralizing it relative to the remaining chamber forming means.

8. In a cooler of the class described, the combination of a shell, means interiorly of said shell and spaced from the inner surface thereof to provide a passage therebetween for the flow of fluid, means exteriorly of the shell and spaced from the exterior surface thereof to provide a passage therebetween for the flow of a cooling medium, removable means for closing one end of the shell and including means for supporting the fluid passage forming means whereby removal of the closing means. carries with it the fluid passage forming means to expose the walls of said passage for cleaning purposes and the like, releasable means for securing the parts in position, guide means carried solely by the other end of said fluid passage forming means for guiding same relative to the cylinder or shell during the assembly of the parts and for holding same in proper position after assembly, and intake and discharge means for the fluid passage.

9. In a cooler of the class described, the combination of a pair of concentric cylinders spaced from one another to provide a cooling chamber therebetween and together forming a cooling jacket with the inner surface of said jacket unobstructed, means for securing said cylinders in position, a third cylinder disposed within the cooling jacket concentric thereto and having an unobstructed outer surface opposed to the unobstructed inner surface of the cooling jacket and providing a chamber for the flow of a fiuid to be cooled thereby, heads at opposite ends of the inner cylinder for sealing the interior thereof, heads at opposite ends of said jacket and spaced outwardly of the heads on the third cylinder, and means associated with both ends of said inner cylinder for centralizing it relative to the jacket.

10. In a cooler of the class described, the combination of a first tube having a flange at its 0pposite ends, a second tube concentrically arranged within said first tube and provided with flanges at its opposite ends, said tubes respectively having their inner and outer surfaces unobstructed to provide a chamber relative to which a cooling medium is adapted to flow, means for securing the fianges of the first and second tubes to one another to seal the ends of the chamber, inlet and outlet ports for said chamber, a third tube disposed interiorly and concentrically of the second tube and having its unobstructed outer surface opposed to the unobstructed inner surface of the second tube to provide a chamber around said third tube for the flow of fluid to be cooled, and means at both ends of said third tube for centralizing the same to maintain the chamber therearound.

11. In a cooler of the class described, the combination of a first tube having a flange at its opposite ends, a second tube concentrically arranged within said first tube and provided with flanges at its opposite ends, said tubes respectively having their inner and outer surfaces unobstructed to provide a chamber relative to which a cooling medium is adaptedto fiow, means for securing the fianges of the first and second tubes to one another to seal the ends of the chamber,

inlet and outlet ports for said chamber, a third tube disposed interiorly and concentrically of the second tube and having its unobstructed outer surface opposed to the unobstructed inner surface of the second tube to provide a chamber around said third tube for the flow of fluid to be cooled, means at both ends of said third tube for centralizing the same to maintain the chamber therearound, a head at opposite ends of said third tube for sealing the interior thereof, and including means for diverting the flow thereagainst to the chamber surrounding the third tube.

12. In a cooler of the class described, the combination of a first tube having a flange at its opposite ends, a second tube concentrically arranged within said first tube and provided with flanges at its opposite ends, said tubes respectively having their inner and outer surfaces unobstructed to provide a chamber relative to which a cooling medium is adapted to flow, means for securing the fianges of the first and second tubes to one another to seal the ends of the chamber, inlet and outlet ports for said chamber, a third tube disposed interiorly and concentrically of the second tube and having its unobstructed outer surface opposed to the unobstructed inner surface of the second tube to provide a chamber around said third tube for the fiow of fluid to be cooled, means at both ends of said third tube for centralizing the same to maintain the chamber therearound, a head at opposite ends of said third tube for sealing the interior thereof, including means for diverting the flow thereagainst to the chamber surrounding the third tube, and

removable means for closing the ends of said fiuid chamber around the third tube which may be removed to permit access to said third tube to efiect its removal and exposure of the walls of the chamber for cleaning purposes.

ALVIN HOCK. ARTHUR F. STEIOFF. 

